Portable knock-down commode having separable parts for nesting



Aug. 4, 1964 A. F. KURRELS 3,142,347

PORTABLE KNOCK-DOWN COMMODE HAVING SEPARABLE PARTS FOR NESTING Filed Aug. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ADRIAN FRANK KURRELS A TTORNE Y g- 4, 1964 A. F. KURRELS 3,142,847

PORTABLE xnocmnowu con/mom HAVING SEPARABLE PARTS FOR NESTING Filed Aug. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

ADRIAN FRANK KURRELS A TTORNE Y amww United States Patent "Ce 3,142,847 PGRTAIBLE KNGCK-BOWN CGMMGDE HAVING SEPARABLE PARTS FOR NESTING Adrian F. Kurrels, 4181 Vaughn Ava, Merced, Calif. Filed Aug. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 217,418 I Claim. (ill. 4-142) This invention relates to a portable knockdown commode and more particularly to a commode suitable for use in locations where normal sanitary facilities are unavailable, for example, at campsites, small boats and other similar locations.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a portable knockdown commode having separable com ponent parts adapted to be nested together to form a compact, easily transportable unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable knockdown commode having a removable bottom member which, when the same is used in indoor locations is adapted to support a disposable container in the device, and removable upon use of the commode in outdoor locations where the same may be placed over a hole dug in the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable commode having a seat assembly into which the separable component parts may be nested when the device is disassembled and secured therein for easy transport from one location to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable knockdown commode which is of durable construction, and which is simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description'.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the portable knockdown commode of the present invention assembled and in the position occupied when the same is set up for use,

FIGURE 2 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the seat assembly separated from the base to show the manner in which a disposable container is inserted within the base When the device is to be used in an indoor location.

FIGURE 3 is the cross-sectional view of the portable knockdown commode shown in FIGURE 1 with the cover of the seat assembly in the closed position illustrating the manner in which the disposable container is housed within the base,

FIGURE 4 is the perspective view of the base assembly of the subject portable commode illustrating the sliding engagement between the separable wall members, and the removable bottom of which is supported in the base,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4 to illustrate the detail of one of the sliding connections between adjacent sidewalls of the base.

FIGURE- 6 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the separated component parts are positioned for placement within the seat assembly when the device is to be moved from one location to another,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the separated component parts are nested within the seat assembly and secured therein by a suitable fastener.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, attention is directed first to FIGURE 1 which illustrates generally a portable knockdown commode of the present invention with the parts shown in the position occupied when the device is ready to be used. It should be under- 3,142,847 Patented Aug. 4, 1964 stood in connection with FIGURE 1 and with the other figures of the drawings that the device illustrated herein is but one example of the various other forms not shown herein which may be utilized, if preferred within the scope of the invention.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the portable knockdown commode It) is comprised of a base assembly 11 or body portion on which is removably positioned at the upper end thereof a seat assembly 12 or unit which includes a seat 13 having a centrally disposed opening 14 therein and, which is provided with a hingedly mounted cover 15 which may be moved from the position shown to a closed position in spaced overlying relation to the seat 13 as shown in FIGURE 3.

Cover 15 can be provided with vent openings 15, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 to prevent the formation of condensation on the interior surface thereof and on seat 13.

When it is desired to use the commode it in a building structure or small boat it is apparent that some type of container must be provided within the same which may be readily disposed of after use. As shown in FIGURE 2 the commode It has the seat assembly 12 removed therefrom and a disposable plastic bag or the like 16 is placed within the base assembly II and has the open upper end thereof folded over the same holding the bag 16 in open position. The base assembly 11 is comprised of a plurality of Walls, oppositely disposed pairs of which are identical in configuration. The first pair of oppositely disposed walls I7 and 18 have at their opposite edges connector means into which the second pair of oppositely disposed walls 19 and 2.9 slideably engage. The details of the connector means will be later described. The seat assembly 12. includes depending flanges which define a skirt 21 having an inside dimension slightly greater than the outside dimension of the base assembly 11 whereby the same may be telescopingly engaged over the upper portion of the base 11 when the side walls 17-29 are assembled.

When the portable commode is to be used with a disposable container 16 positioned within the base assembly 11 it is necessary to provide some means to dispel odors and to render harmless bacteria which may form within the container. This is accomplished by placing within the disposable container 16 a chemical tablet 22 which is commercially available and forms no part of the present invention.

The first pair of side walls 17 and 18 each have secured thereto a luggage type fastener 23 which is engageable with hooks 24 secured to opposite sides of the skirt 21 of the seat assembly 12 when the same is placed in telescoping relation on the upper end of base 11 to removably secure the same in position. Only one each of fasteners 23 and 24 is shown in FIGURE 2.

Each of the first and second pairs of sidewalls 17-18, 1940, respectively, have at the lower end thereof an inwardly extending flange. The flanges on sidewalls l7 and 18, which are indicated by reference numerals 25 and 26, respectively, together with flanges 27 and 28 on sidewalls 19 and 20 support a removable bottom 29 upon which the disposable container 16 rests when the commode is used in a building structure, or at any other location where no hole can be dug.

Shown in FIGURE 4 is the manner in which the sidewalls 17-20 of base assembly 11 are assembled to form the same. As previously mentioned each of the sidewalls 17-20 have at the opposite edges thereof connector means whereby slidable interengagement between adjacent sidewalls is effected. In the drawing sidewalls 17l8 and 2% have been connected together and sidewall 19 is shown partially engaged in the connector means at one edge of the sidewalls 17-13. Upon relative vertical movement of sidewall 19 the same will occupy the position shown by sidewall 20 and upon complete assembly of the base 11 the bottom 29 may be inserted to be supported on flanges -28.

As the connector means at the opposite edges of sidewalls 17 and 13 and the interengaging means on sidewalls 19 and 29 are identical, only one is shown in detail in FIGURE 5. As illustrated the edge portion of sidewall 18 is bent inwardly at right angles thereto to form a flange 30 having the end thereof reverted as at 31 to define a channel into which the reverted edge 32 of sidewall 20 is adapted to slidably engage whereby upon relative vertical movement between sidewall iii and sidewall 18 assembly or disassembly of the adjacent sidewalls 13 and 211 may be readily effected.

When it is desired to transport the portable commode from one location to another and the same is in the assembled condition as shown in FIGURE 1, it can be readily disassembled by first releasing latches 23 from hooks 24- whereby the seat assembly 12 may be removed from the base assembly 11. Sidewalls 19 and 29 are slid vertically relative to sidewalls 17 and 18 upon removal of bottom 29 whereby the sidewalls 117-21 are separated. The cover 15 of seat assembly 12 is closed and the assembly 12 is inverted. The sidewalls 19 and 2d are placed within the skirt portion 21 of the inverted seat assembly 12 and bottom 29 is placed upon sidewall 19. sidewalls 17 and 13 are then placed upon the stacked walls 19 and 2t and bottom 29 in the order shown in FIGURE 6 and the separated parts are nested within the skirt portion of the seat assembly 12.

When the separated component parts of the portable commode are placed in the skirt 21 of the seat assembly 12 the structure is as shown in FIGURE 7, the parts being nested within the skirt 21 with sidewall 17 being outermost. A flexible fastener, for example a belt 33 is placed in encircling relation to seat assembly 12 and in overlying relation to sidewall 17. The belt 33 passes through a handle 34 aifixed to skirt 21 and through latch 23 on sidewall 17. The free ends of the belt are provided with a suitable connector whereby they can be secured together to hold the disassembled parts of the portable commode It nested within the seat assembly 12. It will be apparent when disassembled and placed in condition for transport, the portable commode 18 as shown in FIGURE 7 occupies a minimum of space and may be conveniently carried by means of handle 34 from one location to another. It will further be apparent that assembly of the commode 111 may be accomplished by the reversal of the foregoing described disassembly procedure.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A portable knock-down commode comprising a rectangular box-like body portion including separable side walls which are arranged upright during use, each of said side walls provided at its bottom with a relatively narrow inturned horizontal flange, the flanges of one opposed pair of side walls adapted to rest upon the flanges of the other opposed pair of side walls in assembly adjacent the corners of the body portion, one opposed pair of said side walls being provided along the upright edges thereof with inwardly directed channel forming extensions spaced outwardly of such side walls and close thereto, the other opposed pa r of said side walls provided along their upright edges with coacting channel forming extensions substantially at right angles to said other pair of said side walls and adapted to receive the first-named channel forming extensions slidably in interlocking relation and separably, a separately formed readily removable bottom wall for said body portion which is rectangular, flat and substantially rigid and of a size to fit within said body portion and rest upon said horizontal flanges of the side walls, said bottom wall removable upwardly from said body portion, a flexible bag placeable within said body portion above and on said bottom wall and being open at its top and adapted to have an upper marginal portion thereof folded over the top edges of the side Walls and extended downwardly over the outer faces of the side walls, said bag then constituting a bodily removable liner for said body portion, a seat unit for said commode having a rectangular downwardly open vertically shallow unitary skirt portion engageable telescopically and rcmovably over top portions of said side walls of the body portion with said folded bag marginal portion disposed between said side walls and skirt portion and substantially held frictionally thereby, a seat panel on the top of said skirt portion rigid therewith and having an opening in alignment with the interior of the body portion and bag, a cover for the seat panel hinged thereto at one side of the seat panel and being substantially coextensive in rectangular area with the seat panel and sldrt portion, said cover, seat panel and skirt portion constituting a unit separate from the body portion, and coacting latch means on opposite sides of the skirt portion and on one opposed pair of said side walls near the tops thereof allowing said seat unit to be locked releasably upon said body portion, the arrangement being such that when the seat unit is removed from the body portion and said side walls and bottom wall of the body portion are separated and stacked in superposed relation, the latter may be nested bodily within the confines of the skirt portion while resting upon the seat panel, said seat unit then being inverted, whereby a flexible element surrounding the seat unit and the parts nested therein may constitute a substantially unitized assembly for convenient carrying.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,324,754 Tarbutton Dec. 9, 1919 1,527,340 Wood Feb. 24, 1925 1,650,365 Kuhn Nov. 22, 1927 1,663,966 Ament et al Mar. 27, 1928 1,916,493 Solomon July 4, 1933 2,164,686 Wood Jan. 4, 1938 2,202,238 Thomson May 28, 1940 2,893,017 Beck July 7, 1959 2,912,702 Mackenzie Nov. 17, 1959 3,001,206 Strehlke Sept. 26, 1961 

